The Senate took a major step Monday toward making Tulsi Gabbard America’s next intelligence chief. In a vote split along party lines, 52 Republicans backed Gabbard while 46 Democrats opposed her. This vote sets up a final decision expected late Wednesday night.
As Director of National Intelligence, Gabbard would be in charge of overseeing 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. These agencies work to gather and analyze information critical to national security.
“Ms. Gabbard is not the right person for this crucial job,” said Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the leading Democrat on the Intelligence Committee. “We need someone with deep experience and sound judgment to handle today’s complex threats. She falls short on both counts.”
Several issues from Gabbard’s past have troubled both Democrats and Republicans. She previously met with Syria’s leader Assad, who the source refers to as the former Syrian dictator. She’s made statements that seemed sympathetic toward Russia’s Putin. When asked about Edward Snowden, who exposed classified intelligence information, Gabbard wouldn’t call him a traitor – a response that worried many senators.
But key Republican senators changed their minds after getting specific promises from Gabbard. Senator Todd Young of Indiana decided to support her after she agreed to three things: she won’t try to get a pardon for Snowden, she’ll tell senators about her foreign trips, and she’ll help update Section 702 of FISA.
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“We need to get our intelligence agencies back to their main job – collecting information and analyzing it without bias,” said Senator John Thune of South Dakota, explaining why Republicans now support Gabbard. He believes her military background and time in Congress have prepared her for this role.
The final vote could get complicated. Three Republican senators – John Curtis, Mitch McConnell, and Lisa Murkowski – might vote against Gabbard. If they do, and no Democrats support her, Vice President JD Vance would need to break the tie. But there’s a catch: Vance is currently in France for an AI summit and meetings with foreign leaders, and will be in Munich later this week.
Monday’s vote showed how divided Congress remains. Two senators missed the vote – Republican Thom Tillis from North Carolina and Democrat John Fetterman from Pennsylvania. Earlier this month, the Senate Intelligence Committee approved Gabbard by the narrowest possible margin, 9 votes to 8.
This isn’t the only controversial nomination facing the Senate. Later this week, they’ll consider Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary, another choice that has raised concerns from both parties.
The push to confirm Gabbard shows how things have changed in Congress. Even when Republican senators have serious reservations about President Trump’s nominees, they’re increasingly voting yes under pressure from Trump. If confirmed, Gabbard would take charge of America’s intelligence services at a time when global security challenges are increasingly complex.
